Medisave was designed to help Singaporeans pay for their hospitalisation expenses. In recent years, we have liberalised it to help cover some costly vaccination and the treatment of common chronic diseases at the outpatient level. 
 
In order to preserve the original purpose of Medisave, we limit the withdrawal from Medisave for vaccination and chronic disease management to $400 per Medisave Account per year with effect from 1 Jan 2012.  We refer to this as Medisave400.
 
Patients with any of the following common chronic diseases (diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, lipid disorder, COPD, asthma, schizophrenia, major depression, dementia and bipolar disorder) can use Medisave400 to help pay their outpatient bills. Singaporeans can also withdraw under Medisave400 for Hepatitis B, pneumococcal and HPV vaccinations.
 
Under the Medisave400 scheme, patients can use their own Medisave or that of their immediate family members (e.g. parents or spouse) to help pay for their medical expenses.     

Medisave for pneumococcal vaccinations is for children up to age 6 with effect from 1 Jan 2012 (Cut off is the day the child turns 6)

Parents can use their Baby Bonus cash gift and/or savings in their Child development account to pay for all vaccinations at Baby bonus approved medical institutions.  The baby bonus and CDA can also be used to pay for siblings’ vaccinations.  Clinics that are not approved by MCYS as approved medical institutions may apply directly to MCYS for accreditation.

This is the age range as recommended by the manufacturers, and for which the vaccine has been approved for use in Singapore by HSA.  There is currently insufficient evidence to recommend the vaccine for women beyond 26 years of age as new research is still being carried out on the vaccine’s safety and efficacy for this age group.

Gardasil (Merck) and Cervarix (GSK) are vaccines against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) licensed for use in Singapore. Gardasil is approved for the prevention of diseases caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18, while Cervarix is approved for the prevention of diseases caused by HPV types 16 and 18. The primary vaccination course consists of three doses.

The Medisave for Chronic Disease Management Programme aims to improve care for patients with chronic diseases resulting in better health outcomes and lower long term healthcare costs.

The Programme consists of structured treatments that are based on clinical guidelines and medical evidence. The Ministry of Health (MOH) will allow the use of Medisave for outpatient treatment under this Programme.

Beyond treatment with drugs, the Chronic Disease Management Programme aims to ensure patients receive best value care in the setting most appropriate to their needs. Evidence-based structured treatment programmes have been developed for these diseases.  In most cases, chronic diseases can be effectively managed by the patient’s family doctor. 

Diabetes, high blood pressure, lipid disorders and stroke are the first few diseases to be included in this Programme because:

• they can result in serious complications like heart disease, kidney failure and leg amputations when not well managed
  
• they also affect a large number of patients - an estimated 1 million Singaporeans.
  
• there are proven ways to successfully manage these conditions.
  
• the cost of treating these diseases, over the long term, when poorly controlled, is expensive.

For each bill, you will only need to pay the first $30 of the bill (as the deductible) as well as 15 per cent of the balance of the bill. Medisave can be used to pay for the remaining amount. This is regardless of whether the bill is for a one-off visit or a package. (E.g. on a bill of $100, you will pay $30 plus $10.50 (15 per cent of $70) and use Medisave to settle the balance of $59.50.)

Your doctor (from one of the participating clinics) will need to certify in the Medisave Authorisation form that you suffer from one of the four chronic diseases in the above list.

By following the Programme, you can look forward to:

treatments that are proven to be successful

• better care and control of your medical condition(s).
  
• paying less out-of-pocket cash for your outpatient treatment with the use of Medisave.

Details of the MOH-recommended Chronic Disease Management Programme are available in the Patient Folder, which you will receive when you sign up for the Programme.

You can sign up at any of the participating clinics directly. 

Clinics participating in the Programme will be identified with a decal/sticker which will be displayed at the clinic.

You can ask about the charges directly from the participating clinics. The approximate costs for some of the tests are provided in the Patient Folder.

Clinics participating under this scheme will design their disease management Programmes based on MOH guidelines. A copy of the MOH-recommended treatment guidelines can be found in the Patient Folder. MOH will also conduct regular checks and clinical quality Programmes to ensure that clinical standards are met.

As the Programme now covers a comprehensive list of check-ups, you may need to pay more, especially if you have not done some of the check-ups previously. But over the long term, you enjoy some savings as you can now take better control of your medical condition(s), and prevent complications which can cost you more.

Details of the various check-ups are available in the Patient Folder which the clinic will give to you when you sign up for the *Programme. It will include yearly screening for the eye, foot, kidney and heart as well as regular check-ups for sugar, blood pressure, weight and cholesterol control. Thesecheck-ups will help you control your diabetes well and help detect any diabetic complications early.  

 *E.g. The Diabetes Disease Management Programme

This depends on your condition. Your doctor will tailor it to suit your medical condition and needs.

All clinics have been invited to participate in this Programme. You may wish to check with your clinic if it is planning to be part of the Programme. 

A package should contain the MOH recommended check-ups and the frequency of check-ups for the particular disease. Some patients may find such packages convenient. However, some packages may contain additional items not covered in the MOH-recommended Chronic Disease Management Programme. As every patient’s medical condition is different, you should discuss with your doctor about your treatment plan and if a package will benefit you.

For refunds, it is a private arrangement between the clinic and yourself. You should find out the clinic’s policy on refunds before signing up for packages. However, any refunds from the clinic will be paid to your Medisave account first, to reimburse the funds withdrawn for the Programme.

Packages are mutual arrangements between your clinic and yourself. Hence, it will be difficult to have your package transferred from Clinic A to B, unless both clinics are agreeable. You will need to terminate your package with Clinic A, obtain the refund and sign up for another one at Clinic B. As for your medical record, the Record Book, in your Patient Folder should contain the essential information for your continuing treatment. Alternatively, you can get a copy of your medical record from the clinic A.

Specialists are experts in certain medical specialities and concentrate on taking care of a particular body system, whereas GPs/Family Physicians are trained to provide comprehensive and holistic care for you. Your specialist may refer you to a GP/Family Physician for continued long-term care, once your condition has stabilised. Similarly if your GP feels your medical condition needs specialist attention, he may refer you to a specialist.

The Programme will have no effect on your employment benefit/outpatient insurance scheme.(You can still make use of your employer/outpatient insurance scheme to pay for your bills. As Medisave is your savings, you should use your employer benefits/insurance payouts before using your Medisave to pay for the treatment.

Medisave can be used to cover the following items involved in the outpatient treatment of the eight chronic diseases and their associated complications:

• Consultations
  
• Drugs/ Medications (including non-standard drugs)
  
• Laboratory tests
  
• Diagnostic tests e.g. eye screening, foot screening

Medisave cannot be used for purchase or rental of glucometers, glucometer strips, blood pressure monitoring equipment, wheelchairs, prosthesis or other medical equipment. Medisave cannot be used for treatments that are not related to the eight chronic diseases (e.g. cancer, common cough/cold).

The $30 deductible and 15 % co-payment prevents a person’s Medisave from being prematurely depleted through outpatient treatments.

Participating clinics may help you check the available balance for your chronic disease outpatient treatments with your consent.

Alternatively, you can check your balance through the CPF website under My CPF Online Services - My Statement. Login with your SingPass. If you do not know or have forgotten your Singpass, you can personally apply or reset your SingPass at designated SingPass counters with either your NRIC or valid passport. Click here for a list of SingPass counter locations. You can also request for a new SingPass to be posted to you by using CPF's Online Request Service.

You may wish to bring a copy of your latest statement when you visit your clinic for verification of your Medisave balance.

No. There will be no additional charges for changing the Medisave account for payment.

Yes, this is possible. Up to 10 Medisave accounts can be used in each claim.

No. Each Medisave account is only allowed up to $400 per year for outpatient treatment, regardless of the number of immediate family members on the Chronic Disease Management Programme.

Yes, you can change the Medisave account used. However, you are only allowed to claim up to $400 per year for each Medisave account.

Medisave can only be used for treatment of medical conditions related to the listed chronic diseases, or their associated complications. Please check with your doctor on whether your other chronic conditions are related to or a complication of the listed chronic diseases.

Medisave can only be used for treatments related to the four chronic diseases listed. If your attendance is purely for an acute or unrelated condition, Medisave deduction is not allowed even though you may have one or more of the four listed chronic diseases.

Medisave can be used as long as the GP/Specialist Clinic is participating in the Medisave for Chronic Disease Management Programme and the doctor certifies that the treatment received is related to one of the four listed chronic diseases.

No. The same Medisave limits and conditions apply regardless of the pricing at the various clinics.

The $30 deductible and 15% co-payment will not apply for Medisave use for Hepatitis B, pneumococcal vaccinations and HPV vaccinations.